


Distance

by MiteyMidget



Series: Reunion 'verse [3]
Category: Drake & Josh
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 19:08:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10905618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiteyMidget/pseuds/MiteyMidget
Summary: Summary: AU, Future fic. They’re six months into this thing and it’s good. Drake gets a call from his manager that he thinks might change that.





	Distance

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to LJ in July of 2008. Beta credit goes to amberdowny.

The thing that surprises Drake the most about this thing with Josh is just how easy it is. They’re six months in before he even realizes it, and it’s the longest exclusive relationship he’s ever been in. Instead of throwing him into a panic, the thought actually sends a thrill through him. 

His dating history resembles something like a revolving door. Girls were gone just as quickly as they’d appeared. The few men received the same treatment, probably to a greater degree. So it’s really no wonder that he is as shocked as he is that this level of commitment hasn’t sent him running for the hills.

Something that doesn’t surprise him is that Josh does the anniversary thing. (The fact that it doesn’t bother Drake is another matter entirely.) Six months is apparently a big deal, so Drake finds himself headed back to San Diego for the weekend. Josh has something planned, some surprise. Drake’s secretly hoping it means two uninterrupted days spent in bed, but he has a sneaking suspicion that’s not quite what Josh has in mind for the two of them.

This is when his manager drops the bomb. Utters five words that have him dropping his cell phone.

New York for four months.

The drive to San Diego is complete torture. It's much too short and much too long, sitting there alone with all of this in his head. Drake's not sure how he's going to break the news to Josh, especially not this weekend. 

A year ago he would have been jumping for joy. New York is New York and he's always had a soft spot for the city that never sleeps. But now, with things going so well here he just can't imagine four months away from this. Josh has become this necessary element in his life, like breathing. What's he going to do if Josh doesn't want him to go? What if it's a deal breaker?

Drake knows that he's working himself up without any real cause. Josh would never break up with him because of a bit of distance, but knowing that doesn't calm him down any. There's this niggling little voice at the back of his mind whispering doubts, telling him the other shoe's just dropped. That it was only a matter of time because, really? Drake Parker doesn't do relationships.

The doubts are chased by reassurance, round and round and round. He's dizzy with it by the time he pulls up the curb outside Josh's apartment complex. He takes a few long breaths, trying to calm his racing heart, and then climbs out, grabs his duffel bag, and makes his way to the front door. He stands there, staring at Josh's buzzer, not quite able to press it. 

Josh is going to know something's up the minute he sees him. He's going to take one look at Drake's face and just know, because that's just something Josh does. He knows things. It'll ruin the whole weekend. The surprise, whatever it is Josh has planned. Drake doesn't want to do that.

One of Josh's neighbours comes up behind him, causing him to nearly jump clear out of his skin. The woman gives him an odd look and unlocks the door. "Coming in?" She asks, holding the door open.

For a split second Drake actually considers refusing the offer, but he's not likely to get another for a good long while and the chances of him actually hitting the buzzer any time soon are just about as slim. "Yeah. Thanks."

She shakes her head and lets him in. Drake's relieved when she takes off in the opposite direction. He's really not sure that he wants a witness. Standing outside Josh's building like some sort of deranged stalker is bad enough, being seen standing outside his apartment trying to decide when to knock would be worse.

As it would happen, he really shouldn't have worried about it. When he reaches Josh's apartment the door flings itself open and Josh pulls a startled Drake inside.

"Jesus Christ!" Drake wheezes, feeling his heart hammering against his chest plate. "I think I just had a heart attack!"

Josh laughs, the bastard. "I saw you pull out up front. When the buzz didn’t come I figured Mrs Shelly let you in, so I waited here until I saw you through the peephole. Thought I’d give you a little surprise."

"I think you just about succeeded. The world was almost deprived of a future legend."

"Sorry," Josh says, not looking even a little bit sheepish. Drake scowls at him. Josh's grin turns saucy. He leans forward, pushes Drake against the door and nuzzles at his ear and whispers, "I think you'll forgive me."

"Maybe," Drake replies and who is he kidding? He's already tilting his head back, giving Josh better access as he plants a line of quick kisses along his jaw. 

Drake's duffel falls to the floor with a dull 'thud' as he winds his arms around Josh's neck, capturing his lips in a proper kiss. Everything else is forgotten in that moment. It's been too long since they've had time enough to do this and Drake lets them have this before he has to ruin it with his news.

When Josh finally disentangles himself from Drake they're both a little breathless and glassy-eyed. "Forgiven?" Josh asks with a smirk.

"Forgiven," Drake agrees, rolling his eyes.

Josh backs up some more, eyes flashing regret as he takes in Drake’s form still draped over his door. “As much as I’d like to stay here for a little longer getting reacquainted, I left something cooking on the stove. It’s probably getting ready to boil over.”

They shuffle into the kitchen and Drake tries to help with whatever Josh is cooking, but the man gives him a stern look and reminds him of Drake’s last adventure in the kitchen. One of the neighbours had called the police department after seeing the cloud of smoke escaping the window. It isn’t an experience Drake wants to re-experience, so he takes a seat at the small kitchen table along the wall.

"So," Josh starts, bending over the stove, turning down the heat on one of the burners. Drake notices for the first time that Josh is wearing a neat white apron and he gives a little smile. "What took you so long to get up here? I was waiting at the door a while."

Drake's smile falls and he slumps into his seat. There's no putting this off, apparently. "I was nervous."

"Nervous?" Josh shoots a confused look at him over his shoulder, brows bunching together. "About this weekend? I told you we're not doing anything extravagant."

"No. It's not about this weekend." Drake takes a deep, calming breath. "Josh, there's something I need to tell you."

Just like that Josh whirls around, expression suddenly drawn. "Are you breaking up with me?"

Drake jerks back in his chair, arms flailing out beside him. "What?! No! What would make you think I was breaking up with you?"

"Oh, I don't know, Drake," Josh says, voice high pitched and laced with biting sarcasm. It’s a sure a sure sign that he’s agitated. "Could it have been the part where you said 'There's something I need to tell you?’ That's right up there with 'We need to talk.'"

"Well, I'm not, Josh. This is not me trying to break up with you." He runs a frustrated hand through his hair. "This is... I don't know, but I'm not breaking up with you."

"Did you cheat on me?"

"No! I wouldn't do that!"

"Kill someone?"

"Okay, that's just ridiculous. No, I didn't kill anyone."

"Move to Poland?"

Drake glares at him. Hard. "Shut up now. You're not helping me here."

"I'm not trying to." Josh sighs and moves forward, sits at the table across from Drake so that he can grab his hands. "If you're not breaking up with me, cheating on me, killing people or moving to Poland, then what is there to be so nervous about? Drake, just tell me what's going on."

"I, uh, got a call from my manager just before I came down here," Drake admits finally. "My record label wants me in New York for four months. I'm under contract to do this."

Josh stares at him. Just looks at him, face unreadable. It's more than Drake can take and he pulls his hands away, rubbing at his face. This is it. This is really it. His career, the one thing that he's ever really worked for in his entire life, might just have cost him Josh.

"Drake..." He tenses, prepares himself for the let down. "...Why is this such a big deal?"

Drake freezes, shoulders stiff. "What? You're not mad?"

That seems to thoroughly confuse Josh. "Why would I be mad at you? Drake, I knew going into this relationship that your career was going to make things difficult sometimes. I knew that eventually you'd have obligations that were going to take you away from me."

All of the tension leaves Drake in one sudden burst, leaving him collapsed limp in his chair. “I just spent the past two and a half hours freaking out. Why did I spend the last two and a half hours freaking out?”

Josh shakes his head, smiling fondly as he stands up. “It’s because you care. Now, I’ve got to get back to this dinner before we end up ordering take-out. Again.”

“I like take-out,” Drake protests, finally feeling like he’s regaining some of his equilibrium. 

“I know you do,” Josh says as he frowns down at whatever he’s got simmering on the stove. “And occasionally it’s a nice treat, but every night isn’t healthy. You need a nice balanced diet, Drake, we’re not getting any younger –“

“Hey! Speak for yourself!”

“—And it’s never to early to start thinking about….”

Blah, blah, blah… Drake tunes him out as he goes into the details of what a healthy, well balanced diet would do for him in the future. It’s how he got through most of a semester with Josh as his tutor. True, he’d helped Drake get that passing grade, but Josh always had tended to get a little overzealous when it came to giving a lecture.

This is nice, he thinks, letting Josh’s voice wash over him. This is how it should be. It's what he's going to miss the most when he's in New York. Just being in the same room together. Most of their relationship is already spent on the phone, but how is a week or two of absence going to compare to four months? Can he handle it? Can Josh?

But Josh is right, too. This was inevitable. There’s going to be travelling, almost always. The fact that he hasn’t had to leave California for an extended period of time in the past several months is sheer luck. His manager is negotiating for some sort of tour and after that would be another album to record and a never ending list of to-dos before, after and in between. Eventually something would have come up, and in the whole scheme of things, four months really isn’t all that bad.

Sometimes it scares him, but he thinks that this thing he has with Josh is strong enough to handle that. For the first time in his life, Drake is looking beyond the here and now, beyond a pretty face and an easy lay. He’s seeing the future, having someone to come home to when his voice is shot and he can hardly keep himself on his feet. When he’s spent all day arguing with some hot-shot executive over his music and all he needs is a pair of ears to listen to him. Most of all, he sees someone who might be there at the end of this, when the spotlight fades and he’s just Drake again. It scares him because he never knew he wanted it.

“-ake? Drake? Are you even listening to me?”

“Huh?” Drake jerks out of his stupor, gaze transferring from the tabletop in front of him to Josh’s face. Oh man, how long was he zoning for?

“I said dinner’s almost ready. Could you set the table?”

“Yeah.” Drake jumps to his feet and moves to the cabinets. “Sorry.”

Josh sighs and when Drake glances over his face has softened. “No,” he says. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. I can tell this New York trip is bothering you.”

Drake nods his head, eager to pass off the excuse even though it’s only half right. If Josh gives him one more lecture on his inattentiveness he thinks he might just go a little bit crazy.

“It shouldn’t,” Josh says. “If you still want me, I’ll still be here when you get back.” He grins suddenly. “You know what they say about distance, right? It makes the heart grow fonder. That should be our new motto.”

The corniness of it alone is enough to make Drake grin. It’s such a Josh thing to say. He's not sure of the motto thing, but he hopes the other part is true, because he wants Josh's heart to be really fond of him when he gets back. Maybe he'll even get those two uninterrupted days in bed.


End file.
